In preparation for the May release of Alien: Covenant (Dir. Ridley Scott), CineFiles is looking back at the decades-spanning horror sci-fi franchise. In this installment, we look at the ill-received Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, the second film to pair the two horror monster heavyweights.
Directed by the Brothers Strauss (Colin and Greg), the film involves, like its immediate predecessor, a Continue reading Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) Movie Review
July. There are movies. Some of them are big. Some of them will suck. Must I go on writing preamble?
Do we need another Spider-Man movie? He was my favorite comic book character as a child. Then I grew older and cynical and found out about Watchman and The Killing Joke. Either way, my inner child is sick of Continue reading Summer 2017 Movie Release Preview: July
2379, hundreds of years after her death, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is cloned by United Systems Military in order to extract the xenomorph larvae from her pregnant stomach.
A simple setup: another space station, another alien, another situation Ripley has to get herself out of. If it ain’t broke?
Alien: Resurrection is director Jean-Pierre Jeunet pre-Amelie and writer Joss Whedon just as he was finding success with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Two heavy-duty cinematic work horses behind this studio-infiltrated franchise sequel. What could go wrong? Continue reading Alien: Resurrection (1997) Movie Review
On a planetary system called The Sovereign, the Guardians of the Galaxy defend some golden batteries from a large squid monster. Upon success of this task, the golden inhabitants of the planet that houses these golden batteries pay the Guardians. They then chase them down violently when it becomes evident that one member of this indelible crew, Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), stole some of these batteries for his own gain.
This long diversion about batteries aside (and, yes, batteries take up a large portion of this film’s narrative), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is about Continue reading Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Movie Review
One large new release will be looking to dominate the domestic box office to kick off May.
Marvel Studios has made it somewhat of a tradition to kickstart the Summer season on the first weekend of May, and 2017 is no different. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will look to capitalize on the surprising success of the 2014 original. But it will also be going up against the international phenomenom that is The Fate of the Furious.
June 2017 comes with a mix of high profile money makers, animated family affair, Summer horror counter-programming, and smaller films. We’re looking at a June box office that will see a DC figurehead go up against the seemingly unending onslaught of transforming toys. We’re looking at comedy and horror that will try to become surprise hits. And there’s a Tupac movie.
Let’s take a look at what June has in store.
Here’s why you don’t get your hopes up, folks. People will tell you that this looks like Continue reading Summer 2017 Movie Release Preview: June
This weekend sees the new release of the Emma Watson-Tom Hanks thriller The Circle, based on the novel by Dave Eggers, and How to Be A Latin Lover, a comedy directed by Ken Marino and starring Eugenio Derbez and Salma Hayek.
Additionally, Bollywood sequel Baahubali 2: The Conclusion will be looking to make a similar smash to its predecessor. According to Box Office Mojo, the first film grossed $3.5 million in its opening weekend, and its sequel has already pulled in an estimated $2.5 million in Thursday night previews.
Continue reading Weekend Box Office Predictions: 4/28 – 4/30
Mae (Emma Watson) is stuck at a dreary temp job. Her car barely runs. She lives at home with her parents. Effectively, she’s stuck.
Then, through a connection in friend Annie (Karen Gillan), Mae lands an interview at The Circle, a hip-and-trendy tech outfit that is, on contact, Orwellian. Or, at least, Continue reading The Circle (2017) Movie Review
Director Guy Ritchie’s new venture, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, opens on a war sequence that introduces Uther Pendragon (Eric Bana), the father of the once and future king Arthur (Charlie Hunnam), as well as one-time king Vortigern (Jude Law).
It is a scene marked by blurry action and messy narrative introduction. Luckily, it is also a scene that is returned to multiple times over throughout the film.
Following this, we watch little Arthur grow up before our eyes in a very Continue reading King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Movie Review
May kicks off the Summer movie season: One of the best…no that’s not right…one of the most underwhelming periods in the Hollywood calendar.
Alright, that’s not entirely fair. But there have been some clunky Summers in recent years when it comes to U.S. theatrical releases. Every year there are films that are on the schedule that look great on paper (Jurassic World), or at least acceptable on paper (Independence Day: Resurgence), and then turn out to be major disappointments. (Yes, I realize Jurassic World was by no means a major disappointment in terms of money or general audience response. But mark my words that that film will not hold up over time).
And sure, there can be May surprises (Mad Max: Fury Road, a second example), but Summer is generally Continue reading Summer 2017 Movie Preview: May
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